Self-employed workers may miss out on mortgages due to changes in delivery of SA302 forms

Self-employed workers in the UK have reported their struggles to acquire a mortgage, after HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) changed the way it issues details of tax calculations and tax year overviews for submission with mortgage applications.

Until recently accountants and workers themselves have been able to obtain a paper copy of form SA302 that lenders require in order to complete the mortgage application process.

However, from 4 September 2017 HMRC has confirmed that it will no longer issue paper copies and will instead provide digital versions.

This will make the process of securing a mortgage more difficult for self-employed workers and may even further restrict the number of lenders that will offer a mortgage, with reports already coming in of lenders insisting on original paper copies rather than electronic printouts.

Self-employed individuals and their advisers will be required to supply the relevant year’s tax computation, printed from the adviser’s software, along with the tax year overview that advisers can print from HMRC’s online services website in order to act as a self-serve SA302 that will satisfy lenders.

HMRC has already undertaken discussions with UK Finance, formerly the Council of Mortgage Lenders, about lenders’ requirements. However, the list of lenders who will accept self-serve SA302 forms omits some big high street names.

Many accountants are therefore reminding self-employed individuals to check their lender’s requirements early on in the mortgage application process.